Gifts, Reactions and Jesus’ Example11-25-18 Kelly Durant
Prov 11:24
24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
2. All across the United States the Salvation Army makes the news for giving away toys! I looked at the stats for last year online and 3.2 million people got toys and food from us through the Angel Tree!
But do the news channels report this amazing feat year after year? Rarely! The world has become more and more unthankful and indifferent towards Christians and their loving generosity. But still we are a light shining in the gross darkness of the world! In the small towns of the U.S.A. you will find the Salvation Army more on the headlines because small town people are usually more connected, appreciative, and Christian.
As many know, there is actually a big cultural divide between the conservative Christian mentality in rural America and the liberal debauched mentality in the big cities, and the conservatives, I can testify, do show more thankfulness for gifts. But still we serve, give, and love all no matter how folks react!
3. Let’s explore today the feeding of the 5,000. Open your Bibles to.. Matt 15:34-38
34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
When it comes to God’s work, there are many times in which we see miracles to make the supplies be enough for everyone. Last year that happened here and there was enough for everyone! We got 400 turkeys and we need another 400 again!
The gifts Jesus gave to people were food, healings for the sick, the liberation from demons, and ultimately He gave himself as the ultimate sacrifice to take away the sins of you and me.
4. Of the multitudes served, I know hundreds of children and parents are made happy! Our shining example to the world causes thankful people to notice and think, If there are people in my neighborhood that can care enough about my happiness to organize the obtaining of thousands of toys and food boxes to share with my family, then there is a possibility that there is a God up in heaven somewhere that can love me and care about me! He has no hands and feed but ours!
But always after these events of giving and receiving there are many reactions by the people. I want to refresh your mind on the story of the donkey, the man, and the boy. When you or I get anything, paid for or a gift, people will talk, good or bad!
5. Once upon a time there was a small village in Mexico and the father had saved his money from the harvest to buy a donkey to work on his farm. He went into the big city and paid for his donkey, you know he asks, how much, and the seller says $100 and the man says, no, too much, I will offer $50, but the man ends up paying $75. Then the man tries out the strength of the donkey and rides it with his young son, then one person in the street says, hey, look at the cruel old man, he makes his donkey’s back hurt! So the son walks while he rides! They get criticism for that as him being a mean man to make the boy walk. So…
they change places, the man walks and the son rides. Then further down the road, a schoolteacher in the street walking by says, what a bad child, he rides and makes his old father walk! So they both get off and they both walk but further down the road, some men see them and laugh and say, look at those two, they have a donkey, and they both are walking! The father then couldn’t take any more. He got a long wooden branch and tied the donkey’s feet to it and the father and the son carried the donkey out of the town making sure the people had something to talk about then! People always talk trash!
6. Now, in reference to giving, the giving of toys or anything, there are some that will take the gift and be happy and that is what we would like to see, but there are others that will not.
Let’s revert back to the feeding of the 5,000 as an example. For sure there were people there that complained that it was too much work to carry around all that heavy fish in baskets to give to the people. They just wanted to eat and they didn’t come to have to help pass out the fish and bread!
And then there are those that may have said, I didn’t want fish, I wanted beef or chicken! And then there were those that went away home hungry, leaving early not wanting to wait so long ( a few days). It was a miracle that there was food multiplied, but since they didn’t get served when they wanted, they left for being impatient! Plus there were the skeptics that asked, why is Jesus giving me fish and bread? I know it is because He is going to ask something of me later, or He wants to convince me He really is the Son of God, so I will just take this and run because I do not want to have to be committed to nothing and have to give anything back or do anything in return!
7. Also, some may have said, ‘Hey, why is my neighbor’s fish a little bigger than my fish? And then there are the jealous ones that complained, why is it that Jesus and His followers get to be the ones getting the attention for giving this away? I want some glory in administrating this operation!
And then there are always the greedy ones. They say, give me a double portion so I can eat now and then take some more home to eat again later! These do not think of the others that haven’t even eaten yet!
So there are many reactions to people getting gifts and free stuff. Consider some people will:
1. Show thankfulness and acceptance for the gift
2. Complain about the work involved around the gift
3. Complain that it was not the gift the person had in mind
4. Complain that their neighbor is getting more than them
5. Be skeptical over what they have to do in return for the gift
6. Jealousy over them being the receiver and not the giver
8.These are some reactions of people, but now let’s put this in the context of God’s gift of love to the world, His Son, Jesus Christ! The word says we should react in this manner…. 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
What God expects is that His gift of Jesus will totally change you and me to make us thankful, loving, giving and pure people!
9. Let’s look at the reactions of people in our line of work considering we expect people to recognize Jesus as God’s gift.
The gospel is free, but it takes the work and funds of you and me to get it to the people. That’s our responsibility, how people react is their responsibility.
1. Many are thankful like you who are faithful to come here to serve, learn, worship, and celebrate in fellowship
2. Some complain that it is too much work to go to church and serve others and worship God so they are ungrateful
3. Some proud intelligent people reject Jesus because His salvation message is too simple, that more has to be done
4. Some Christians have more money than others and often it is God’s blessings for living righteously, but other times some greedy rich people are not even Christians even though they go to church (God determines the truly generous)
5. Some people instead of loving God back want to do their own idea of good works so other people will think they are “holy” and “buy” favor with God, (repay the gift) but we are not saved by our own works but by His Grace!
6. Some people are proud as Satan, and they want to be the source of the power distributing gifts to get praise, so it is not God and His people recognized! Or in vain some preachers or some Christians want praise for their giving of the gifts, messages, or healings, etc., but that is idolatry, pride, and hypocrisy!
The conclusion is… the things we do, such as the giving of toys and food gifts are only shadows compared to the real gift of God: Jesus!
We should all accept God’s son Jesus and the gifts He bestows, with no pretexts, complaints, or contexts! And in reaction to Him as our life-changing gift, we must give back how He wants so…
We should love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind, for being born in the flesh and dying on the cross to give us eternal life!
What gift can we give Him back? Our lives, our souls, everything in service to Him and others! How have you responded to gifts, and responded to Jesus call. Answer now!
